Shared Messages from the Universe - Forget the Rules if...

It is my belief that messages from the universe speak to me and remind me of something that is inside of me. When I first see them, I often don't even know what is really being advertised. Instead, the message conjures emotions or thoughts relating to something that is going on within me; in my heart, in my mind, in my soul. I see them on billboards, in magazines, store windows, church plaques...everywhere.

I secretly call them soul whispers.

The messages are all around us

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Forget the rules if it makes you happy...

As an artist, I take online classes, local classes when I can find one, visit artist studios, visit galleries, etc.

I love to learn.

Classes are great, don't get me wrong, but at some point you just have to create art.

Yes, as a photographer, I've learned about aperture, shutter speed, composition, but honestly no one has ever taught me to see things the way I see them. 

It comes from practice. 

During the past year alone I've taken over 5,000 pictures, many of them aren't very good but when you find one gem it is all worth it. 

Had it not been for my camera I probably wouldn't see the world around me the way that I do.

I feel the same way about my other art. I make jewelry, really simple twisted wire pendants, and then sterling silver, cut with a saw, formed, filed, and if I'm lucky the use of a torch to solder. I took a class a few years ago, loved it, and long for the day that I can have my own studio to create jewelry. I dream of taking the skills I learned there and not only make jewelry but also make big metal sculpture, too.

Lately, I've been art journaling and learning how to use watercolor paints, dylusion inks, inktense pencils, tombow markers, and tons of other art supplies. I've learned tons of technique but honestly, I have also learned that I really just want to make sure that I'm using the products correctly. 

I want to learn to use the tools and then I want to figure it out what my art will look like. 

I don't want my style of art to look like my teachers'. I don't want what I create to look like my classmates. 

I want to be unique.  

I don't want to follow the rules and paint a ladybug just because everyone else is doing it.

I want a little bit of me in what I create.

So, today, I want to encourage you to forget the rules the next time you take a class.  I want you to learn about the tools and then create from the heart and not from the instruction manual.

Put your heart into your art. (and stop thinking so much with your head)

Forget the rules if it makes you happy...

Sunday Snippets

I am letting the pictures tell my story and linking up with tinniegirl today.

Hop over to tinniegirl and visit a few other blogs.

You never know what you might find that inspires you.

What's on Your Workdesk? - Mandala

I'm linking up with Julia at Stamping Ground again this week. 

If you visited last week I was working on a Mandala. Well, I finished it. 

This is me painting with my Creative Team (Java and Tucker). As you can see, Tucker was approving or trying to correct something that I was doing. (Superman took this picture while I painted this weekend.)

You may remember this picture from last week. 

This is the mandala before I added color.

Here is the finished product.  I used Koi Watercolors, Inktense pencils, Prismacolor Pencils, Tombow Markers, and Peerless Watercolors for the blue. (layers, layers, layers)

I believe that you will see that center flower again.

Hop over to Stamping Ground and visit a few desks.

Shared Messages from the Universe...Closed for the Season

It is my belief that messages from the universe speak to me and remind me of something that is inside of me. When I first see them, I often don't even know what is really being advertised. Instead, the message conjures emotions or thoughts relating to something that is going on within me; in my heart, in my mind, in my soul. I see them on billboards, in magazines, store windows, church plaques...everywhere.

I secretly call them soul whispers.

The messages are all around us

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Have you ever felt like hanging up the "Gone Fishing" sign? 

Well, in Central Park during the late Fall and early Spring you can see these signs everywhere. 

Closed for the Season - the city version of gone fishing.  

They fence off many of the grassy areas and mark them as closed. They want to preserve the grass, so I get it, but I'll be honest I find it funny to see these signs at every turn.

Lately, though, I have to admit, I've been feeling like I want to hang a sign up on certain parts of my life and mark them as Closed for the Season.

Do you ever feel this way?

Now, don't get alarmed, the creative, artsy, photographer part of me just wants to create - it is, honestly, the 'day job' stress, the always schlepping, city hustle, part of my life that I lately feel like walking away from.  Secretly (ok, not too secret if you know me), I want to wear cowboy boots, drive an old pick-up truck, attend auctions, collect stuff to upcycle, tend a garden, have horses...oh the list is long.

By the way, this happens often regarding the day job - it is too stressful but it pays the bills. The other stuff, city overload, can be taken care of by visiting my family back in Wisconsin.

I feel the need for a long weekend trip to visit the apple orchard, play cards, create art at my parents kitchen table, hang out with my family, giggle with my niece, say hello to everyone I walk past in my small town, visit my favorite foot bridge, hear the birds, see stars in the night sky...

I want to encourage you to do whatever it is that you need to do to recharge as Summer comes to an end. 

Take a break. 

Pause.

Step back.

Go slow.

And, I give you permission to hang up the sign:  

Closed for the Season

Sunday Snippets

I am linking up with tinniegirl today.

A collection of photos from my week.

I am letting the pictures tell my story.

 

 

 

 

Thanks for stopping by.